The goals of Core B, Animal Experimentation Core, are to enhance the reproducibility of surgical procedures; pathological analysis; and functional imaging in a cohesive manner for the Program Project. Dr. Ravi Ramasamy and Dr. Yoshifumi Naka have extensive experience in the isolated perfused heart and rat/mouse microsurgery, respectively, and will lead the experimentation to induce I/R stress in aged vs. young mice and rats in distinct tissues. Dr. Vivette D'Agati and Dr. Matthias Szabolcs will coordinate pathologic analyses of mouse/rat tissues subjected to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) stress. Measurement of injury; routine immunohistochemistry; and semi-quantitative analysis of extent/intensity of immunostaining will be performed. Dr. Shunichi Homma will lead the imaging functions of the core, in order to quantify the degree of infarction triggered by I/R stress. Core B will serve all three projects of the Program during each of the five years of the Program Project Grant.